A Blessing in Disguise

One night I was talking to my good friend John Phistner, who is not only a good friend but who is also my partner in "Living with Cerebral Palsy and Fighting the Incurable."  He told me that "I am lucky to have so many blessings in my life."  At first, I didn't think much of it.

However, one night while I was watching an interview with actor and activist Michael J. Fox who made a similar statement.  Michael was asked what his disease had taught him in life.  He said (and I am paraphrasing) that his Parkinson's disease had taught him patience and it has allowed him to appreciate things that really matter in life like family, friends, and other people.  He continued by saying that he would not wish the disease on anyone; but in a way this disease has been a blessing.

After watching this on TV I started to think about what John had originally said to me.  Maybe it was something that I should actually take the time to analyze.  So I did.  First, I knew I had to look up the definition of what a "blessing" actually is.

According to Webster's Dictionary a blessing is "a means of happiness; that which promotes prosperity and welfare; a beneficent gift."  Once I read that definition I thought about what Michael had said about his disease.  It was then that I realized that living with Cerebral Palsy is my "blessing in disguise".

Even though CP has had its challenges, it has also brought me many happy memories and has allowed me to appreciate the smaller things in life.  It has allowed me to share stories and make friends with people whom I may not have met otherwise.  These stories which I have shared, help me keep my head up high and allow me to share them with even more people, who share the stories with people they know, thus creating a never ending chain of friendship and prosperity.

So when you are in a dark place remember this. Remember, that you have something that makes you a stronger person in life.  Remember, that you have something that has hopefully made you appreciate the value of strength and will to accomplish any task that you have set out to achieve.  Above all, remember that you are not alone with this in life and you have many friends from all over the globe who know what you are going through.

We are the ones who have been born with a disability that brings out characteristics in life that some people spend their whole life trying to find.  This is your gift, your curse, and your blessing in disguise.  Now it is up to you as a person, to decide how you are going to use it in life.